Session Title: Jesus Met a Samaritan Woman Bible Passage: John 4:1-42 Main Point: Jesus told the Samaritan woman He is the Messiah. Key Passage: Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 Big Picture Question: Who did Jesus say He is? Jesus said He is the Messiah. UNIT 21 Session 3 YOUNGER BIBLE STUDY At the time Jesus was on earth, the social food chain went like this: Jews don t talk to Samaritans. The strife between the two groups stretched back hundreds of years, to the Babylonian exile. When the Babylonians attacked Judah, they moved a large group of God s people away from their homes. But some of the people the poorest, sickest, least able to work were left behind in the region that became known as Samaria. The exile lasted 70 years. During that time, those left in Samaria began to mingle with their neighbors to the north. They intermarried and practiced foreign customs. While the Samaritans still believed in God, they adapted their beliefs. The Jews who returned home from Babylon to rebuild God s temple in Jerusalem rejected this new way of life. They were dedicated to obeying and worshiping God, and they didn t agree with the Samaritans practices. The Samaritans opposed the Jews efforts to reestablish their nation. In time, the Jews hate for the Samaritans grew so much so, that a Jew traveling from Judea to Galilee would take a longer route to travel around Samaria rather than through it. Jesus broke down barriers when He traveled to Galilee by way of Samaria. Even more surprising, Jesus stopped at a well around noon and asked a Samaritan woman for a drink. Jewish men did not speak to women in public. But Jesus was kind to her, and He offered a gift living water. The woman didn t understand, but Jesus revealed His knowledge of her past. He even gave her a glimpse of the future. The Samaritan woman expected a Messiah to come and fix everything. Jesus said, I am He. Explain to kids that the living water Jesus offers is the Holy Spirit. (See John 7:37-39.) It is a gift that He is eager to give us when we ask Him. Those who receive His grace will never be thirsty again. SUGGESTED THEME DECORATING IDEAS: Google Headquarters. Visuals representing questions asked to Google. Clocks with different time zones, calendars, posters of questions - what song is this, how do you tie a tie, binary code, office look 1 UNIT 21 // SESSION 3 // CYCLE 1
Session Title: Jesus Met a Samaritan Woman Bible Passage: John 4:1-42 Main Point: Jesus told the Samaritan woman He is the Messiah. Key Passage: Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 Big Picture Question: Who did Jesus say He is? Jesus said He is the Messiah. UNIT 21 Session 3 YOUNGER Key Passage song I am the way Theme Slide PROPS leader attire books Giant Timeline Big Picture question slides KEY PASSAGE SONG Play the Key Passage song as your kids arrive. WORSHIP Worship leaders sing two songs with the children and collect offering. INTRODUCE THE SESSION (3 MINUTES) [Large Group Leader sitting at a desk with computer and reference books] Leader So I m here at Google working and still doing some on the job training. Every day I m finding people asking some very interesting and important questions, but some days I find people ask some questions, too. Did you know one of the most asked questions is What song is this? Asking about a song doesn t seem very important, but there was once this lady, who had an incredibly important questions for Jesus! GIANT TIMELINE (1 MINUTE) Leader Two weeks ago we learned that Jesus told Nicodemus he must be born again. Last week we learned that Jesus came from heaven to earth. In both of those stories, we saw that the way Jesus interacted with people and the things Jesus said about Himself revealed that He is the Messiah. This week we will hear a story about Jesus and a woman who was kind of an outsider. She was a Samaritan, which means that she was from Samaria and part of a people group that most Jews really disliked. We will see how Jesus treated her and learn what Jesus said. The story is called Jesus Met a Samaritan Woman. BIG PICTURE QUESTION (2 MINUTES) Leader Sounds pretty crazy, doesn t it? Well, trust me when I say it s not. In fact, Jesus said that He is living water! Remember that we are trying to search the Bible to learn about Jesus based on what He said. Who did Jesus say He is? Jesus said He is the Messiah. Bible Story Video Jesus Met a Samaritan Woman video Bible Story Picture Slide Bible WATCH THE BIBLE STORY (5 MINUTES) Open your Bible to John 4:1-42. Use the Bible storytelling tips on the Bible story page to help you tell the story, or show the Bible story video Jesus Met a Samaritan Woman. OPTIONAL BIBLE STORY SCRIPT Jesus Met a Samaritan Woman John 4:1-42 Jesus had been making disciples in Judea, and His disciples baptized people. Now Jesus had more 2 UNIT 21 // SESSION 3 // CYCLE 1
Bible Storytelling Tips Set the scene: Use props such as a chair or bench as the edge of a well, a bucket, and a large water pot. Use dramatic dialogue: Stand in one spot when telling Jesus words. Then turn and face that spot as you speak the woman s words. followers than John the Baptist. Jesus began traveling back to Galilee. He traveled through Samaria and stopped in a town at the well. Jesus disciples went into town to buy food. While Jesus was at the well, a Samaritan woman came to get water from the well. Give Me a drink, Jesus said to the woman. The woman was surprised. You re a Jew, she said. Why are You talking to me? I m a Samaritan. Jesus said, I asked you for a drink. You don t know who I am. If you did, you would have asked Me for a drink, and I would give you living water. The woman was confused. Sir, she said, This well is deep, and You don t have a bucket. Where do You get this living water? Jesus said, Anyone who drinks this well water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks from the water I give will never, ever get thirsty again! In fact, the water I give will become a well inside you, and you will have eternal life. Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit, but the woman did not understand. Sir, she said, give me this water. If I m not thirsty, I won t have to keep coming to this well to get water. Go get your husband, Jesus said. I don t have a husband, the woman replied. Jesus knew she was telling the truth. He said, You don t have a husband now, but you ve had five husbands. Jesus was right. I see You are a prophet, the woman said. Maybe this prophet could explain something to her. She said, The Samaritans worship here on a mountain, but the Jews say we need to worship at the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus said, Soon you will not need to be in either of those places to worship God in spirit and in truth. The woman said, I know the Messiah is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us. Then Jesus said, He is talking to you now. I am the Messiah. The woman left and told the people in her town, Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could this be the Messiah? Many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of what the woman said. They asked Jesus to stay with them, and He stayed for two days. Many more believed because of what Jesus said. They told the woman, We no longer believe because of what you said, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this really is the Savior of the world. Christ Connection: Jesus offered the woman something no one else could give her living water. Jesus wasn t talking about water that she could physically drink; Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit who would satisfy her spiritual thirst. Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to those who come to Him by faith. Timeline Poster Main Point Slide TALK ABOUT THE BIBLE STORY (1 MINUTE) Leader Oh my goodness! Remember that Samaritans were people the Jews did not like. When the Jews were in exile, some of God s people stayed in the land and married people who did not worship God. This was against God s law, so the Jews thought they were better than the Samaritans. But Jesus did not treat this woman that way. He loved her and treated her with kindness. He began to tell her about living water. At first, the Samaritan woman thought Jesus was talking about physical water that would keep her from getting thirsty again. Though that would be a helpful trick for water, Jesus was talking about something much better than water. Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit. As Jesus and the woman talked, she could tell He was no ordinary man. He knew things about her that no one else did. At first, she thought He was a prophet. Jesus is more than a prophet. Jesus told the Samaritan woman He is the Messiah. She was amazed and rushed to gather her neighbors and bring them to meet Jesus! The woman at the well was a sinner and a Samaritan, but Jesus still offered her the Holy Spirit if she believed in Him. The Holy Spirit fills us when we have faith in Jesus. He is like 3 UNIT 21 // SESSION 3 // CYCLE 1
Note: You may use this opportunity to use Scripture and the guide provided to explain how to become a Christian. Make sure kids know when and where they can ask questions. Key Passage slide Mission Video Kids Across Culture water that springs up and overflows. He gives life and power to Christians and satisfies our desire to be near God. CHRIST CONNECTION Leader We are all born in sin. We are dead and empty inside. Thankfully, Jesus offers us the Holy Spirit the living water just as He offered Him to the Samaritan woman. Jesus said He is the Messiah. Jesus came to earth to live a siness life. He died the death we deserve, taking our sin on Himself. On the third day, God showed everyone His mighty power and raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus sacrifice was enough! Sin had been defeated and death lost its power over people who trust in Jesus. When Jesus went back to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to be our Helper. The Holy Spirit is given to us when we trust in Jesus. He helps us love and obey God. He gives us power to overcome evil and glorify God. In that way, the Holy Spirit s power flows out of us to affect the people around us. KEY PASSAGE (4 MINUTES) Show the key passage poster. Lead the boys and girls to read together John 14:6. Leader Jesus told the Samaritan woman He is the Messiah the Savior God sent to save the world from sin by dying on the cross in our place. Only Jesus lived a perfectly obedient life, which means only Jesus death paid the penalty for our sin. Our key passage reminds us that there is no other way to God except through faith in Jesus. MISSION VIDEO Leader Remember how our story started? It started, Jesus had been making disciples in Judea, and His disciples baptized people. Not too long after this story took place, Jesus died on the cross and then rose three days later. After Jesus rose from the grave, He appeared to many people and spoke with them for many days before returning to heaven. Right before He returned to heaven, Jesus gave His disciples a Great Commission. He told them to go and make disciples of all nations, to baptize them in His name, and to teach them to obey all of His commands. Let s watch this video of the McIntyre family in Senegal sharing the gospel with the people living there. Show the missions video Go West, Senegal. Leader Man, that was such a cool video. I get so encouraged watching people share their faith and serve others. I am grateful that we get to hear these stories because they encourage us to share Jesus with everyone we know. They also give us stuff to pray about. Any time we watch these videos, I pray for the missionaries and workers that God would give them strength and boldness to share His good news with others. And I also pray for the people they meet that they would have open ears and open hearts to listen to and receive God s message. PRAYER Invite kids to pray before dismissing to small groups. Leader Father, thank You for sending Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice for our sin. Help us to trust You more each day. Thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit. Help us to see the way You have given us life. Give us courage and opportunities to share the truth about Jesus with everyone we meet. DISMISS TO SMALL GROUP 4 UNIT 21 // SESSION 3 // CYCLE 1
Session Title: Jesus Met a Samaritan Woman Bible Passage: John 4:1-42 Main Point: Jesus told the Samaritan woman He is the Messiah. Key Passage: Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 Big Picture Question: Who did Jesus say He is? Jesus said He is the Messiah. UNIT 21 Session 3 YOUNGER crackers paper towels for cleanup water Allergy Alert! Tip: To avoid a choking hazard with this game, stress to kids that it is not a race; they do not have to rush to whistle first. As kids arrive, ask them about a time they felt left out of a group. What made them feel left out? How did they respond? Say Most of us will feel left out at some point in our lives. If we see people having fun or doing something good without us, we often feel sad, angry, or jealous. In our story today, we will learn about a woman who might have felt left out of God s promises. What do you think Jesus would say to someone feeling left out? ACTIVITY CHOICE (10 MINUTES) Cracker challenge! Give each kid five crackers. Challenge them to eat all five crackers and then try to whistle. Any kid who eats all five crackers and whistles wins. Keep water close by for each child to prevent choking. Say That was a fun game, though it was pretty messy! Crackers soak up all the moisture in your mouth, making it really hard to whistle. When we get really thirsty, water is usually the best choice to drink. Today we will learn about a kind of water that you only have to drink once! Do you think that sounds like physical water or maybe something more important than that? Let s find out! 10 minutes after the start of service Break into groups of 10 or less children for Small group index cards large pieces of paper markers 5 UNIT 21 // SESSION 3 // CYCLE 1 ACTIVITY CHOICE (10 MINUTES) Picture words Write the following words on separate index cards: bucket, well, water, drink, woman, walk, Jesus. Choose a volunteer to be the artist. Give the artist a card with a word to draw. Kids should try to guess what the artist is drawing. The artist may not speak or write any letters or words on the paper. When a kid guesses the drawing, prompt kids to describe how the drawing relates to the Bible story. Then choose a new artist. Play several rounds. well Jesus stopped at a well in Samaria. woman A Samaritan woman came to the well. drink Jesus asked the woman for a drink. bucket The woman pointed out that Jesus didn t have a bucket to get water from the well. water Jesus offered the woman living water.
Jesus Jesus told the Samaritan woman He is the Messiah. Say Even though Jesus was a Jew, He was kind to the Samaritan woman. Jesus offers salvation to anyone who will trust in Him as Lord and Savior. Journal Page Pencils The gospel is the good news, the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use these prompts to share the gospel with your kids. GOD RULES. Ask: Who is in charge at home? Explain that because God created everything, He is in charge of everything. Read Revelation 4:11. WE SINNED. Ask: Have you ever done something wrong? Tell kids that everyone sins, or disobeys God. Our sin separates us from God. Read Romans 3:23. GOD PROVIDED. Explain that God is holy and must punish sin. God sent His Son, Jesus, to take the punishment we deserve. Read John 3:16. JESUS GIVES. Ask: What is the best gift you ve ever received? Say that Jesus took our punishment for sin by giving His life, and He gives us His righteousness. God sees us as if we lived the perfect life Jesus lived. This is the best gift ever! Read 2 Corinthians 5:21. WE RESPOND. Explain that everyone has a choice to make. Ask: Will you trust Jesus as your Savior and Lord? You can turn from self and sin and turn to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10. JOURNAL AND PRAYER (5 MINUTES) Distribute journal pages and pencils. Prompt kids to write a few sentences about who they believe Jesus is. Remind them that the woman gave a testimony to the people in her town; she told them what she had seen and heard. Encourage kids write about why they believe what they do about Jesus. Say Jesus told the Samaritan woman He is the Messiah. The woman told others about Jesus. Think of someone who doesn t know about Jesus, and tell him or her this week that the Messiah has come! THE GOSPEL: GOD S PLAN FOR ME Use Scripture and the guide provided in the classroom to explain to boys and girls how to become a Christian. Assign individuals to meet with kids who have more questions. If this is not possible, encourage boys and girls to ask their parents, leader, or other Christian adults any questions they may have about becoming a Christian. Jesus Met a Samaritan Woman John 4:1-42 Jesus had been making disciples in Judea, and His disciples baptized people. Now Jesus had more followers than John the Baptist. Jesus began traveling back to Galilee. He traveled through Samaria and stopped in a town at the well. Jesus disciples went into town to buy food. While Jesus was at the well, a Samaritan woman came to get water from the well. Give Me a drink, Jesus said to the woman. The woman was surprised. You re a Jew, she said. Why are You talking to me? I m a Samaritan. Jesus said, I asked you for a drink. You don t know who I am. If you did, you would have asked Me for a drink, and I would give you living water. The woman was confused. Sir, she said, This well is deep, and You don t have a bucket. Where do You get this living water? Jesus said, Anyone who drinks this well water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks from the water I give will never, ever get thirsty again! In fact, the water I give will become a well inside you, and you will have eternal life. Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit, but the woman did not understand. Sir, she said, give me this water. If I m not thirsty, I won t have to keep coming to this well to get water. Go get your husband, Jesus said. I don t have a husband, the woman replied. Jesus knew she was telling the truth. He said, You don t have a husband now, but you ve had five husbands. Jesus was right. I see You are a prophet, the woman said. Maybe this prophet could explain something to her. She said, The Samaritans worship here on a mountain, but the Jews say we need to worship at the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus said, Soon you will not need to be in either of those places to worship God in spirit and in truth. The woman said, I know the Messiah is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us. Then Jesus said, He is talking to you now. I am the Messiah. The woman left and told the people in her town, Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could this be the Messiah? Many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of what the woman said. They asked Jesus to stay with them, and He stayed for two days. Many more believed because of what Jesus said. They told the woman, We no longer believe because of what you said, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this really is the Savior of the world. Christ Connection: Jesus offered the woman something no one else could give her living water. Jesus wasn t talking about water that she could physically drink; Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit who would satisfy her spiritual thirst. Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to those who come to Him by faith. 6 UNIT 21 // SESSION 3 // CYCLE 1